With construction finally beginning, Hamiltonians can expect the venue to open in just 18 months. Photo Credit: Hamilton Honey Badgers website.
On May 16, Oak View Group (OVG), the largest developer of sports and live entertainment venues in the world, officially broke ground on their major renovation project that is set to transform Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre.
The decision to move ahead with the renovation was made back in June 2021, with the $280 million arena deal signed between OVG, the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG) and the City of Hamilton on Nov. 2, 2023.
Renovations, which are entirely privately funded, were originally meant to start in spring 2023.
With construction finally beginning, Tom Pistore, President of OVG’s Canadian division, says that Hamiltonians can expect the venue to open in just 18 months, in the fall of 2025.
The revitalization will see an entirely new exterior, a state-of-the-art outdoor video board, a year-round sports lounge, e-sports zone, restaurants at street level, premium seating, enhanced acoustics, improved sightlines, upgraded concourses, and optimized clubs and suites.
The arena will likely be renamed when reopened, with a naming rights deal expected to be announced soon.
The arena redesign is also part of a larger plan called “The Commons” which is meant to revitalize the downtown with renovations to the Hamilton Convention Centre, investments in the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the FirstOntario Concert Hall, and new residential, office, and retail space.
Whereas the FirstOntario Centre was mainly used as a sports venue, the plan is to elevate the arena more as a concert venue.
However, OVG has made clear that Hamilton will get some sort of hockey team back after the Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League announced they would be moving to Brantford temporarily and look as though they will be staying permanently.
Over the next 30 years, the arena deal is expected to save city taxpayers $150 million as HUPEG takes over operation and maintenance costs for the facility.
The residential developments that will eventually follow are estimated to grow the city’s tax revenue by over $100 million.
Tim Leiweke, Chairman and CEO of OVG, commented, “We’ve been a long-standing partner of the City of Hamilton through our management of the arena, generating considerable momentum to where we are today and are now positioned to deliver to the people of Hamilton a truly world-class, live entertainment facility.”
“Upon completion of this truly transformative investment, the Hamilton Arena will generate substantial economic velocity and serve as a catalyst to the downtown core via the hosting of premier touring acts, family shows, and all types of sporting events,” he promised.
“We’re investors in this market for the long haul and are thrilled at the prospect of replicating the success of our other owned & operated facilities in Hamilton.”
OVG manages 400 sports venues, including the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington which was constructed by the company and is the home of the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken.
Leiweke also noted, “We have great partners helping us bring this project fully to life and are already looking and planning ahead to the arena’s re-opening.”
HUPEG, which is involved in the project, is a consortium led by Carmen’s Group and Mercanti Family and Friends that includes Alinea Group Holdings Inc., Mercanti Management Downtown Investments, Vaccarello Investments, Golden Horseshoe Enterprises, JJAA Consulting Services, and POWERGROUP Resources.
The arena is designed by Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects, construction is overseen by EllisDon, one of Canada’s most experienced construction services companies, and event booking at the arena will be managed by multinational entertainment company Live Nation.
Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport Neil Lumsden, who also serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek thanked OVG for their investment.
“This renovation will create good paying jobs, provide a welcomed boost to local businesses and encourage visitors from southwestern Ontario – and around the world – to experience everything our community offers,” he said.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
